the half.

i haven't really blogged much at all about this, but last spring i signed up to run the disney half marathon this january at walt disney world. it was something that was a small spark of an idea that popped into my head last fall. i am not sure how i got this idea, but somehow it was in there. so i decided to try a 5k to see how i did, to see if i could do it. and i did. it was hard. so i kept working at that distance during the winter, to make it a bit easier to run. i still had that thought in my head, of the half marathon, as i did this.....only 2 people were really aware of this possible race, i didn't say anything to anyone until i was sure i wanted to do it. 13.1 miles. that's a lot to me. i was never a runner up until about 2 years ago, when i got bored with just walking. i decided to try to see if i could run/jog instead. the parents of the kids that i nanny for are runners, so i would occasionally look at their running magazines. i found a training plan to work up to running for a half hour straight. so 2 years ago i did that. then about 6 months after that i would just run on the treadmill as my form of exercise. then this whole running 5k's and what not became a new challenge for me to try. something i actually could do. so after doing a few 5k's last fall/winter, i decided to work up to a 10k in the spring. i actually did use a training plan for that. during that time, i signed up for the half marathon, figuring it's at disney and it'd be a good one for me to do, and i could have a vacation at the same time! a reward as well as something to make my first half marathon distance race look more desirable and fun, being the disney traveller that i am. i trained and completed a 10 mile race during the heat of the summer as my "practice" towards this half marathon. it went rather well, i did not die or collapse, and really made me realize, i probably can do this, it's not going to be easy, but i think i can do it. even if i do have to walk to the finish, but hopefully not. i have been asked, why am i doing this? i can only say it is a challenge for myself. something to work toward, and accomplish. and make myself proud of something i thought i would NEVER do. also, to make my friends and family proud too. i am not sure even how or when i got it into my head to do it, it just sorta happened. that is what i tell whomever asks. it's the truth. so what was once, just a form of exercise for that "daily 30 minute" quota of exercise "they" say we should do, i am now doing more for the challenge and fun of it. and i really do actually like it! it is hard. for me it is as much mental as it is physical. i am excited, scared, intimidated, and freaked out in regard to this challenge. i think i'll be ready though. i have started the training plan, a little earlier than needed, but i am more comfortable with it that way. it gives me more time to prepare. so here i go. feet (and body) don't fail me now! who knows, maybe this race will lead to other half marathons. or not. we'll see.